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Archive for the 'Podchat' Category

In today's podchat, Grant talks to Jacob Randolph of Liberi Gothica Games and special guest James D'Amato from One Shot RPG about running a tabletop kickstarter. We compare Kickstarter vs Patreon, mention a few common problems you'll run into while running a kickstarter, and tell you about some important Kickstarter tools you'll want to take advantage of. This episode is chock full of good advice, so be sure to give it a listen!

Bluebeard's Bride is a game about investigative horror by Whitney “Strix” Beltrán, Marissa Kelly, and Sarah Richardson.

Grant and Sarah Richardson sit down to talk about horror in gaming, and how it differs from horror in any other medium you might care to name. Unlike movies or books, the personal element of actually playing in horror requires a lot more personal engagement, and Grant and Sarah go over just how to do that in this podchat.

Special guest Gita joins Ironicus, Gnome, and Drakkel in discussing the surprising links between exploitation film and tabletop gaming. Subtlety is eschewed, setpieces are tied together with string, and bombastic action often reigns. For more on how to make your favorite movie into your new favorite game, check out our previous podcasts on Genre Emulation (old site) and Designing from Influences (old site).

A panel of experts convenes to discuss virtual affairs of the heart. It's everything you need to approach the gametable with romantic intentions for your character, whether you're the GM or a player. Romance is an excellent way to introduce effective, lasting relationships into your game.

Ironicus and Ikks of Six Feats Under are joined by Keith Carberry, Ali West, and Austin Walker of Friends at the Table to discuss a pressing issue in gaming culture and, in fact, culture. Discussion ranges from why such issues are vital to the few games that exemplify these virtues. We have a long way to go, so here comes Feats' first-ever homework assignment: next time you join your friends at your table, keep these issues in mind and let them shape your experience.

Special guest and half of 13th Age's creative core Rob Heinsoo joins Ironicus, Nate, Gharbad, and beloved guest Violet to discuss the history of Glorantha, the setting for the new playbook 13th Age in Glorantha. Originally a world without a game, Greg Stafford extensively sourced mythology to create a vibrant world. Ever since, all sorts of games have taken up Glorantha's banner.

Ironicus, AWoodenPalisade, Gharbad, and Gnome are joined by guests Violet, Chip Cheezum, and a .rtf file to discuss... tension. Specifically, how it is used in storytelling media-- especially tabletop games. Tension is difficult to balance, and for a pre-written story, is carefully adjusted with cues for danger and story-based investment. It becomes far dicier when tension is incorporated into a game where the story is "written" as it is played. Danger Patrol not only explores bringing tension into the story, but into the core mechanic as well.

Due to a different recording method, audio quality is diminished.Night Witches handles a real-life regiment of Russian airwomen in WWII, meaning it entails many potentially uncomfortable situations. Ironicus and Eliza (AWoodenPalisade) are joined by special guests Arden, DeviousVacuum, and Marah (0rangesicle) to discuss ways to ensure players feel comfortable, drawing especially on experiences as queer women. Strategies depend on open communication, patience, and a willingness to learn.

Designer of Goblin Quest Grant Howitt joins Ironicus, Medibot, Gharbad, and Panzer to discuss how comedy, which often comes from subversion of a framework, can be accounted and designed for in roleplaying games. There are two key factors: writing vaguely enough for the players to add their own comedy, and ensuring comedy and progress are not mutually exclusive. To think, before this I thought I just had to play something sad and wait a while.Paranoia's complete KickstarterInSpectres RPG

That story in the back of your favorite RPG is good for more than just a glossary, even if you're an expert GM. Ironicus, Gnome, Ethel and guest Marah discuss the value of such prepackaged adventure as a teacher, a timesaving measure, a chance for communal experience, and a springboard for your campaigns.

Special guests Keith Carberry of Run Button and Friends at the Table and Phil Kollar of Polygon join us to discuss a somewhat reversed method of design, genre emulation. Genres, created as an ends to categorize media, can also be a powerful tool to give your game the feel it needs; the key lies in breaking your favorite genre down into the criteria that define it, then analyzing just what it is about those individual criteria you like so much. We present our favorite examples and test the theory out on two game sure to be the next big thing: Where's Waldo & Kevin RPG and Noir Swimmingly.

Special guests and RPG beginners Mark Soloff and Ashley Davis join us to discuss just what to do when you've never played an RPG before.Here are our recommendations for D&D4e's player types!Actors

Golden Sky Stories: A focus on developing your character as a complete (and cute) individual

Chuubo’s Marvelous Wish-Granting Engine, Nobilis - in both games, your character is literally center stage, and the world revolves around them. Advancing your character is based around developing the desires and the responsibilities they gain from their newfound powers.

Engard: Becoming - everyone plays as the same hero, and the goal of the game is to flesh them out and determine how they overcome challenges and why they are a hero

FATE (Core and Accelerated Edition): A game engine based on playing to your character’s aspects, for good or ill.

WWWRPG: Of all the *World games, none gives you a stronger character role to play with.

Explorers

Eclipse Phase, Ashen Stars, Malifaux, and other games with strong established settings

Last Stand: All the GM advice is built around setting up unique fight scenarios and cool locations and big flashy one-time events

Instigators

DANGER PATROL: Leap into action, don’t bother thinking about it! That is the core mechanic of Danger Patrol: the more danger you are in, the better your dice rolls get.

Costume Fairy Adventures: Causing shenanigans is the goal of the game and how you win at being fairies.

Everyone is John: This is like Engard, above, except extremely silly and the goal is to Kill John.

Monster Hearts: If you want to play Buffy the Vampire Slayer: the RPG, this is where it is, and it hits the sense of drama perfectly.

Thinkers

Retrocausality: This game is all about time travel, and the core mechanic is messing with the time stream in a way that gets you what you want out of it, but without causing unintended consequences

The GUMSHOE line: Various games all about finding information and piecing it together to solve a mystery.

The Quiet Year: This is a game where everyone has to spend a year preparing for a horrible disaster that they don't know what it is, and do what they think is best to save their community from the coming disaster. Problem solving is the name of the game.

Microscope: Microscope is a game you play before another game. Microscope is a collaborative worldbuilding game where everyone works together to figure out what elements of the setting everyone cares about and wants to explore, and building a setting around those ideas.

Watchers

Apocalypse World: no turn order, meaning players can play whenever they feel comfortable

Dungeon World: Same reasons as Apocalypse World, except for people who want the classic D&D feel. DW also has probably the best handouts of any *World game out there, which are nice for beginners.

Law’s Out: the players are actors on the set of an Old West movie-- games are as fun to watch as they are to play, and the auction mechanic is good for beginners or those uncomfortable with number-crunching.